how women business owners can conquer low self-esteem

IF SELF-ESTEEM is getting in the way of your business, how do you change your outlook? And is low self-esteem something women deal with more than men? Jennifer Warwick, a women's career strategist and coach in Los Angeles, doesn't believe that only women experience low self-esteem, but she points out that women do tend to be much more open than men about their self-esteem issues.

"Women are encouraged to build intimate and complex relationships, and part of building trust includes being vulnerable and sharing your flaws," Warwick explains. "So it's no surprise that self-esteem is often seen as a more 'feminine' issue, especially in business."

For Cynthia Anderson, 36, president of CD Anderson, an accounting firm in Raleigh, North Carolina, her teen years marked a decline in her confidence. "I had acne and was very thin. This kept me from pursuing activities I would have enjoyed and kept me in a corner. I was ashamed of who I was."

Today, Anderson has been in business about two years and already projects revenues of over $1 million. Business success, however, can only boost your self-esteem so much. "Women tend to dwell on their insecurities more than men," says Anderson. "We expect a lot from ourselves, and when we can't be everything to everyone, we beat ourselves up."

"All that self-reliance can be isolating," says Warwick. "And isolation further undermines self-esteem."

Warwick suggests women entrepreneurs take a realistic look at their support systems. "Good friends and trusted advisors are essential and will hold your dream for you, even when you may doubt it," Warwick advises. "You must also be willing to let go of those who are not supportive of the dream."
Entrepreneur, August, 2005 by Aliza Pilar Sherman